


Practical Magic

by Reishiin



Category: S.C.I.谜案集 | S.C.I. Mystery (TV)
Genre: (with a little bit of angst), Fluff, Light-Hearted, M/M, Moving In Together, background Bai Yutong/Zhan Yao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:08:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28335903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reishiin/pseuds/Reishiin
Summary: One of these days, Bai Chi, a guy is going to borrow a 1-dollar coin from you to use in a magic trick, and make a bet with you over it. But, Bai Chi, do not under any circumstances accept this bet, because if you do, as sure as you stand there, you're going to wind up moving in with him.
Relationships: Bái Chí/Zhào Zhēn
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25
Collections: Yuletide Madness 2020





	Practical Magic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maggie33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maggie33/gifts).



> Hey Maggie! Thank you for the wonderful Zhao Zhen/Bai Chi moving in prompt and I hope you like this.
> 
> Summary is an adaptation of [this quote](https://www.quotes.net/mquote/39860) by Sky Masterson from _Guys and Dolls_.  
> Setting note: HK does have Christmas as a public holiday.
> 
> Thank you so much to Karios for beta-reading, and for advising on the stage magic in this. This changed a little since then, and all remaining mistakes are mine.

  
  
  


"Two American stage magicians, Mr Penn and Mr Teller, once said that magic consists of seven basic principles," Zhao Zhen begins, rolling a dollar coin across his knuckles. "The palm, the ditch, the steal, the load, the simulation, the misdirection, and the switch..."

As he says each word, he demonstrates each move with the coin which he had borrowed from Bai Chi earlier. He flips the coin from hand to hand, slips it into his jacket pocket and back out again, and finally retrieves it from behind Bai Chi's ear.

Even the light touch had tickled. Bai Chi swats Zhao Zhen's hand away and says, "You're going to just _tell_ me what you're doing? Doesn't that give away the secret?"

"Does it, now?" Zhao Zhen makes an exaggerated face of surprise. "I think the secret is only half the trick. What's much more important is how you do it. Here, take it back." He grabs Bai Chi's hand again, presses the coin back into his palm, and closes his fist around it again. 

"Remember our terms. If you can see through the trick I‘m about to do, I'll consult for your cousin on one case of his choosing. If you can't, you dogsit Lisbon for a week on the evenings I'm working. Now, Xiao Bai Chi... are you watching closely?"

Zhao Zhen has not even done anything yet, but Bai Chi is already uncomfortable because Zhao Zhen is wearing that confident smile that makes one feel like he already has the upper hand. Damn stage magic, damn showmen, and damn _this_ showman in particular. Not a single one of them can be trusted.

"Go on," Bai Chi says.

He is not prepared for Zhao Zhen to reply, "I'm already done."

"...Huh?"

"Xiao Bai Chi,” Zhao Zhen says, grin growing wider, ”Where is the coin?"

"Right—" Bai Chi opens his hand to nothing but air. "Where did it go?!"

"You tell me," Zhao Zhen says, with a too-innocent smile. "Can't? Great. I'll send you my work schedule for next week."

"That's unfair,” Bai Chi says plaintively. “You tricked me."

"Bai Chi, you said it yourself. I even told you what I was going to do before I did it." Zhao Zhen holds out one hand flat against Bai Chi's chest to keep him at arm's length, then smiles in a way that manages to be even more disquieting. "But I'm also a nice person, so I'll give you a redo. Double or nothing?"

Bai Chi pauses. Something is very wrong here, but he can't put a finger on what. "Sure."

  
  


* * *

In the S.C.I. office a week later.

"So, Bai Chi—"

“Yes, Bai-sir.”

“—you can't go to dinner because you've already promised to see this guy."

"To be accurate, I promised to take care of this guy's dog."

"For the next six months."

"... Yes."

Bai Yutong pinches the bridge of his nose. Zhan Yao looks like he's trying not to laugh.

"All right," Bai Yutong says with a long-suffering sigh. "It's your personal time, and you can do what you want with it. Forget about dinner. But if we get a case, you still work OT, dog or no dog."

Bai Chi looks down at his feet in consternation. "Yes, Bai-sir. Sorry, Bai-sir."

Zhan Yao asks, "Bai Chi, did you even get the coin back?" 

Bai Chi shifts his weight to his other foot. "Uh..."

  
  
  


Across the city, Zhao Zhen's phone vibrates.

> **[Zhan Yao]** Passing this on for Bai Yutong. He says to stop bullying his subordinates.  
>  **[Zhan Yao]** Also, give back the damn money.

Zhao Zhen laughs under his breath. "Already siding with your boyfriend's family over your own cousin? Really, Dr. Zhan, I expected better."

Then he types out an actual reply and hits send.

  
  


* * *

Zhao Zhen said to look for the spare keys in a lockbox under the birdhouse.

Next to a silver door key, Bai Chi finds a small envelope marked 'Xiao Bai—you can keep this.' Inside is Zhao Zhen's business card and a second key on a white rabbit keyring.

It's just past 6:30 p.m, the sky overhead rapidly darkening. No one is home; the house and its grounds are entirely silent, and only the upstairs lights are on, the simplest of burglar deterrents.

Bai Chi turns the key, opens the front door, feels for the light switch and flicks on the light. Immediately, Lisbon comes bounding up to meet him, tail wagging up a storm, and Bai Chi bends down and buries both hands in the dog's thick fur in greeting. "Did you miss me?"

He ruffles Lisbon behind the ears, he feels a hard edge on her collar, and turns it around to find a 1-dollar coin taped there.

  
  
  


> **[Zhao Zhen]** Img01.png  
>  **[Zhao Zhen]** Happy now, Dr. Zhan?

In a different residence, Zhan Yao nudges Bai Yutong next to him and spins the phone around to show him. "He actually gave it back."

"Huh. What do you think their chances are now?"

"60%?"

"Zhan Yao, you just made that up on the spot, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did, you got me."

  
  
  


* * *

Backstage, while the crew runs through final light and sound checks.

Zhao Zhen holds his phone to his ear with one hand, tilting his head even though Bai Chi has no way of seeing, and says "You've been going to my house for what, six weeks now and you just noticed I have a library?"

The reply is plaintive over the speaker. "... Yes? It's all the way in the back of the house and I only came across it while looking for your circuit breaker."

Zhao Zhen sighs. "At least you don't snoop around people's homes, which means you're trustworthy."

"Unlike someone," Bai Chi mutters under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Zhao Zhen switches his phone to his other hand. "Feel free to borrow anything you want. And the breakers are in the storage room behind the door, by the way."

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Bai Chi walks through Zhao Zhen's front door, shuts it behind him again, sits down on the couch, and hugs Lisbon for ten straight minutes.

Zhao Zhen walks into the living room, looks at him, then turns and walks out again. Several minutes later he returns with two mugs of tea, sets one on a coaster in front of Bai Chi, and sits on the couch leisurely drinking the other.

After another few minutes pass, Bai Chi says, "You're not going to ask me why I barged into your house for no reason?"

"I assume you wanted company," Zhao Zhen says. "Lisbon's, I mean. I'm just an idle decoration, who can also make you a mug of tea."

Bai Chi picks the mug up, checks the temperature, then manages a stiff "Thank you." 

After another long pause, he continues, "I screwed up on a case," Bai Chi says. "The suspect I was supposed to be tailing managed to ditch me. Bai-sir is terribly angry."

"What did Bai Yutong say?"

"To watch more closely next time. But I don't want there to _be_ a next time—"

"So you're not being blamed for it."

"No, but—" Bai Chi's face goes shuttered and he continues, "It's like this every time. I hold the team back, and I get in the way. At the very beginning, I couldn't even carry a gun properly." He takes a deep breath and hugs Lisbon closer, then says into the dog's neck, "Sometimes I wonder if I should quit, so I don't drag the team down with my incompetence..."

"Hm," Zhao Zhen says. "If that's what you really think, then I guess you won't be needing this any more." He holds up Bai Chi's police badge—when had he picked Bai Chi's pocket?—and with a snap of his fingers he sets it on fire. 

"Hey—!" Bai Chi makes a grab for it but misses. Zhao Zhen keeps him at arm's length and holds the slowly incinerating badge out in the other direction. "I need that to go to work! And we're supposed to guard our badges with our life… !"

"Wait—Bai Chi, please, wait." Zhao Zhen reaches into Bai Chi's pocket, retrieves his wallet and flips it open to his intact badge. "See? It's fine. My point is that you still care about your badge, so, clearly, you still care about this job."

Bai Chi snatches the wallet back, face already flaming with consternation. "You tricked me again."

"I've done this exact trick in front of you twice before. How was I to know you'd still think it's real..." He pulls an exaggerated sad face for Bai Chi's eyes, then reaches out and taps Bai Chi's shoulder. "Hey. Feeling better now?"

Bai Chi freezes. "A bit."

He stares at the plastic pane in his wallet a little longer—Zhao Zhen isn't sure if he's dwelling again, or just checking that the card really is intact—then he closes the wallet and returns it to his pocket. "Did you... ever get hurt setting fire to things?"

Zhao Zhen shakes his head. "Fireproof gloves. My desk, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky."

* * *

"You don't have to only come over to dogsit, you know," Zhao Zhen says. "You have a key. Let yourself in, grab a book and fix yourself a drink, and read to your heart's content..." He pauses at the look on Bai Chi's face. "What's the matter?"

Bai Chi eyes him warily. "You're... being nice. You must want something."

Zhao Zhen processes that. "Bai Chi. In people terms, I think we count as friends. You like books, and I like you, so I'm letting you borrow them. It's not that complicated."

"You're a magician. Of course it's complicated."

"So, just because I do stage magic, I'm intrinsically untrustworthy? Bai Chi, I think you can see the flaw in that logic..."

Bai Chi says, "It's like a phobia. It's an involuntary reaction, not rational." He continues, a little plaintively, "Because you scared me by pretending to curse me when I was a kid."

Zhao Zhen laughs. "Wow, I'm touched that I left such a deep impression. And it's Zhan Yao who told you that, wasn't it?"

Bai Chi says, "Yes."

"Did he also say how to get over it?"

"... Repeated exposure."

Zhao Zhen spreads his hands. "My case in point."

He waits for that to sink in, savoring every little twitch in Bai Chi's expression, then continues, "Hey, Bai Chi?"

"Mm?"

Zhao Zhen leans in conspiratorially. "Would you like to learn some magic?"

* * *

Evening shows often run late, and Zhao Zhen has to stay after the show to pack up and entertain clients, so he often does not get home until early morning.

He turns his key in the front door and pushes it open. The faint light from the streetlamps outside paints a wide bright stripe across the couch where Bai Chi has fallen asleep, a book open under his arm crossed over his chest. Next to him, Lisbon is curled up, sleeping soundly with her snout tucked into her paws.

Zhao Zhen's hand falls from the light switch. He pushes the door quietly closed behind him, then goes to the hall closet to fetch a blanket.

A long time ago, a young Zhao Zhen found the two of them, one child and one dog, asleep together under the afternoon sun, curled up together in two soft little heaps, one furry, and one not. At that time, Zhao Zhen wondered if Bai Chi's hair was as soft as Lisbon's fur.

Now he finds out that it is.

  
  
  
  


"Bai Chi. Hey, Bai Chi, rise and shine."

The morning sun is in Bai Chi's eyes—since when did his window face that direction?—and his head is heavy with the grogginess of being roused from a very sound sleep. He sits up and rubs his eyes, trying to figure out where he is and why his alarm didn't go off. There is a terrible crick in his neck. 

"You're awake now?" the same voice says. "There are washing-up things in the hall bathroom, and I brought you a change of clothes. Breakfast is in the kitchen. Hurry up, or you're going to be late for work."

Bai Chi finally realizes who is talking to him, and by association, where he is. "Wait, wait, wait. Zhao Zhen. You... "

  
"No need to thank me. If I'd known you were going to invite yourself to stay overnight, I would have been a better host."

"No, no, no, no, that's not the..." Bai Chi stumbles into the hall bathroom and discovers the paltry contents of his bathroom cabinet spread out on Zhao Zhen's counter and a complete set of work clothes, right down to matching undershirt, socks and underwear. "How did you get into my house?!"

In place of a reply, Zhao Zhen steps around the half-closed door and jingles a familiar keyring from one finger. "Catch," he says, then tosses the bundle at Bai Chi. It is terribly reminiscent of their second-ever meeting, except now the keys are threaded on a white rabbit keyring and there is one more key there than before.

Bai Chi reflexively catches it with one hand, and then is belatedly relieved that he is still dressed.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


"All right," Zhao Zhen says, "Take it from the top."

He watches expectantly as Bai Chi brings the deck of cards up, gradually loosens his grip along the short side—

—and drops the entire deck.

Bai Chi yelps and dives for the cards at the same time Zhao Zhen does. Between them they only manage to catch a handful, the rest scattering over Lisbon, who is stretched out on the ground next to the couch like a second rug.

Bai Chi sighs and starts picking the cards back up. 

Back in the starting position Zhao Zhen adjusts Bai Chi's grip, tilting his head nearly at a right angle to get the right perspective, then seems to think better of it. He drops onto the couch next to Bai Chi and puts one hand on Bai Chi's own, over the deck, then gradually releases pressure until the cards fall in a graceful stream into Bai Chi's other hand.

Zhao Zhen picks the deck up, squares it and drops it back into Bai Chi's open hand. "Twenty minutes a day, and you might get it by the end of the month."

Bai Chi passes the deck back to his other hand and tries again. "Is that how long it took you?"

"Longer. I was only a little kid then and my hands were too small, so I kept dropping the cards."

"Really? When you do it it looks so..." Bai Chi casts around for the word. "Effortless."

"That's the hardest part, making it look easy," Zhao Zhen says. He leans over and nudges the cards between Bai Chi's fingers a few millimetres so they can fall. "So I'll take that as a compliment.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


After work on Christmas Eve, Bai Chi walks up the driveway of the Zhao house and finds it empty.

He picks up his phone and sends a text, then goes about refilling Lisbon's food and water bowls. A few minutes later, his phone screen lights up with a reply. He looks at the text, gives Lisbon one last pat and cuddle, then steps outside and locks the door behind him.

Zhan Yao was right. Zhao Zhen is at the cemetery, visiting Zhao Meng's grave.

The sky at sunset is deep purple shading to red over the horizon, the sinking sun hidden behind a cluster of trees. Zhao Zhen has ditched his customary hat and vest for a long dark coat over a turtleneck. He faces the gravestone, away from Bai Chi, but the surroundings are deserted and quiet enough that Bai Chi can hear the quiet words he recites over the grave.

"... _Aeternam dona ei, domine et lux perpetua luceat ei, requiescat in pace._ Uncle Meng, it's Christmas Eve today. If your spirit in Heaven can hear me..." Zhao Zhen turns a fraction. "Whoever is standing there listening, you can come a little closer, you know."

Bai Chi steps up, visibly embarrassed at getting caught. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Interrupting."

"It's fine. You weren't," Zhao Zhen says quietly. He finishes the prayer, then turns to Bai Chi fully and says, "And why are you here, Bai Chi? Visiting someone too?"

"Looking for you. Merry Christmas," Bai Chi says, and shoves a small cardboard box into Zhao Zhen's hands: dark green, tied with a red bow. "Don't open it now, wait till you get back."

He shifts his weight from foot to foot until Zhao Zhen says, "Is something else the matter?"

Bai Chi says, "You seem different today. Not as... boisterous."

Zhao Zhen, for once, is at a loss for words. To cover the silence he tucks the box into the pocket of his coat, then exhales deeply and says, "Magician or not, I'm just a person with a life. I also eat, I also sleep, I miss my dead parents and also the man who raised me. Is that so strange, Bai Chi?"

Bai Chi thinks about that for a moment, his hands involuntarily clenching in the pockets of his coat. Then he says, "Are you... okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" He turns to the evening sky and exhales deeply. "Let's do something a little different, a little game. There's a phrase in the police academy, isn't there? _Quis custodiet ipsos custodes_?"

"Who watches the watchers," Bai Chi recites from memory. "The police force maintains law and order in society, but someone must maintain order in the police force, too."

"That's right. Now let's consider another profession. How might it apply to a doctor?"

Bai Chi thinks for a moment. "A doctor heals patients, so who heals the doctor?"

"Very good. Then, how about a magician?"

Another pause. “He who cheats should beware of being cheated?"

"Is that why people go to magic shows? To be cheated?"

"I don't know. I don't go to them," Bai Chi says.

Zhao Zhen lets out a long exhale, then says, "Think back to my magic show the day we met. Picture the scene in your mind, and look at the people around you. How did they look? How did they react?"

Bai Chi frowns in concentration. "They looked hopeful, and they clapped and cheered. The magic trick made them laugh... I see," Bai Chi says. "If the magician makes people happy, what makes the magician happy?"

"You do," Zhao Zhen replies, and it has gotten too dark for Bai Chi to make out his face. He doesn't give Bai Chi time to puzzle that out before he continues, "Anyway, I'm done here, so we should go. It's getting late."

  
  


* * *

  
  


"Hey, Bai Chi," Zhao Zhen says. "The six months are almost up."

"Mm?" Bai Chi looks up from patting Lisbon, who has draped her head over his knee. He does some math with the dates and realizes Zhao Zhen is right.

Zhao Zhen holds out his phone, which is open to a text message. "That cousin of yours issued me an ultimatum. He doesn't want to see you get in trouble for squatting, so I have to kick you out, or..."

"Or?"

"Or let you move in." He pauses to let that sink in, then leans forward, balances his elbows on his knees and steeples his fingers. "I'm indifferent. You can do what you want. But it _has_ been six months, and I think Lisbon here may have gotten attached."

Bai Chi thinks about that.

Half of his wardrobe has already migrated to the closet in the spare bedroom on the second floor. Zhao Zhen has nicer furniture and a better stocked kitchen, and splitting cooking duty for two is much more efficient. Bai Chi spends more time in this house than in his own apartment, to the point where he only goes back to collect clothes or documents or to avoid getting notice for abandonment of property. 

And Zhao Zhen did have a point: Lisbon may have gotten attached.

"Hey," Bai Chi says. "Can I show you a card trick?"

"Sure," Zhao Zhen says, unruffled by the seemingly sudden change of subject. "If you can fool me, I'll let you graduate."

Bai Chi shuffles and cuts a deck, then takes a deep breath and fans it out. "Pick a card, any card..."

At the end of the routine, Zhao Zhen looks at the final spread on the coffee table: 7♢, 4♣, 8♢, 3♡, 9♠. He looks back up at Bai Chi's expectant face, then says blankly, "I don't get it."

"It's numeric code," Bai Chi says helplessly. "7, 4, 8, 3, 9, 'Actually, I—'"

"Bai Chi." Zhao Zhen reaches across the table and lays a finger on Bai Chi's lips. "One more tip for you. If someone doesn't get the hook, don't immediately give up and tell them the secret. Try to lead them to it. Give it a go?"

"Er,” Bai Chi thinks about that. “What are these cards in plain numbers?"

Zhao Zhen tilts his head and innocently repeats, "7, 4, 8, 3, 9?" 

"Take the first two, then the last three?"

"'7-4, 8-3-9, oh! 'Actually, I don't want to go,'” Zhao Zhen decodes. "You are very adorable, you know?" Then he picks up the rest of the deck, riffles through it and tosses out another three cards.

5♢, 2♣, A♡. _I'm willing._

He sits back, folds his arms and looks at Bai Chi. "I have to warn you, though, that this house is prime real estate, and the rent won't be cheap."

He savors the aghast look on Bai Chi’s face for another two seconds, then adds, “Just kidding.”

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:
> 
>   * For visual reference, the trick Bai Chi is learning is the waterfall flourish 
>   * At the cemetery, Zhao Zhen is reciting 'Eternal Rest' 
>   * In numeric internet slang, 74839 sounds close to _qi shi bu xiang zou_ , 'Actually, I don't want to go'. 521 sounds close to _wo yuan yi_ , 'I'm willing', and can also be read as 'I love you'
> 



End file.
